


Nile and Carter: The Long Journey

by cgthreethousand



Category: The Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan
Genre: Brief mention of Percy Jackson, Brooklyn House, Depression, F/M, New love, Nile Rivers belongs to me, Zia cheats on Carter, broken relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-29 06:36:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19824559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cgthreethousand/pseuds/cgthreethousand
Summary: Carter Kane is many things. Patient. Loving. Loyal. But when his girlfriend's behavior turns sour he starts second-guessing their relationship. When things start getting hard Carter finds himself alone. Can he get out this depression? Will this new girl help him smile again. Find out. Warning: Original Character and Broken Relationship





	Nile and Carter: The Long Journey

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: WanderlustandFreedom  
> Much love to her and let's get into the story!

I sat in the back of my high school's library contemplating my failing relationship. It was falling apart faster and faster and even Horus couldn’t help me save it. The chatter from my friends only comforted me slightly as I pondered over the last few years of my life. I’m the leader of Brooklyn House. I’m also the Pharoah. Which if you didn’t know requires lots of work, concentration, and patience. Maybe that’s how I lost her. Or maybe we weren't very well-suited in the first place. She seemed distant nowadays, more fake and less happy. She kept me close but not in the romantic sense; more in a friendly sense. I disliked that. I wanted to respect her boundaries. She was Zia after all and I couldn’t just demand that she tell me what was wrong. She would have to come out with it herself. 

She was avoiding me. In that subtle way that she usually did with people, she didn’t like. I knew her behaviors better than the back of the hand. I, at first, assumed she was on her period and that her avoiding me wouldn’t be much of a problem. I like living in contentment and not fear, thank you very much. But when she started disappearing at weird parts of the day, I began to think it was something else. Zia also began avoiding my eyes on every date we went on. It was troubling. It was hurtful. My heart was breaking. What could I do?

I began looking in the mirror again. It was always my goal to never let Sadie’s teasing get to my head. Sure I used to dress like a mini professor. Sure, I dress like a mini-hobo these days. It hadn’t mattered for a while. It was starting to matter recently. The more I looked at myself, the more I disliked. My shoulders are a little too broad and I’m little too lean. I have muscles but I bury them under swaths of fabric, making me look like a nerd. The huge glasses on my face might also add to that, but I personally think they make me look smart. My skin is a dark caramel and I’m tall. I basically look like a huge, muscly dork. Or I would if I didn't cover myself head to toe in black silk.

Would Zia want someone without those attributes? Was she seeing someone else? Were we falling out of love? 

“Carter,” said Chris, looking at me curiously with bright green eyes, “You in there, man?”

Chris had brownish-green eyes and toffee skin. He had a strong jaw and a dazzling smile that never ceased to pop up at the wrong times. Chris is a huge math nerd and is quite proud of it. He wears his hair in cornrows and has a terrible sense of humor. He swaggered subconsciously with every step he took, possessing confidence I always wished to have. Though, he was immature to a point where it was frustrating because he never took anything seriously. 

“You ain’t gettin’ mopey on us, are you?” said Jayvon is his thick, black, Brooklyn accent, “This ain’t ‘bout your girl, is it?” 

I shook my head and he snorted in disbelief. Jayvon had a freaky intuition and I sometimes wondered if he was a magician himself with the way his brown eyes seemed to assess my mood in seconds. Jayvon was also a heartbreaker also with his rich brown skin and smooth pick-up lines. He reminded me of my Uncle Amos in that way. Smooth and easy-going. My Uncle didn’t falter often and Jayvon didn’t either. They both carried that look of wisdom like they knew far more about him than they let on. Luckily Jayvon didn’t know  _ everything _ . He was deathly smart, though. A wiz with the computer and anything technological. 

_ And then there’s me, the dorkiest dork of dorkiness. Also, a 17-year-old virgin. Why would Zia want someone like that? Is that the reason she’s been avoiding me? Doesn’t want to drop the bomb too soon? Has she been searching for intimacy elsewhere? _

“Cheer up, Carter, stop sulking. There are plenty of girls who are desperate and might find your whole pity-party thing attractive,” Chris said, wearing a grin. 

_ Chivalry is most certainly dead,  _ I thought.

“I don’t sulk,” I frowned wrinkling my forehead and crossing my arms. 

“Sure, you don’t. But if you’re looking for a girl who’s into guys that throw astronomical pity-parties, you're going to come up short-handed,” Chris warned, exchanged an amused look with Jayvon.

“Wow,” I said, wanting to scoff at his crudeness, “Hear that line from a book?” 

“Nope. I just know that any normal person doesn’t find that attractive. Remind me to become a therapist. I’ll definitely help a few sad saps.” 

“Noted,” Jayvon agreed. 

Jayvon and Chris high fived each other from across the table. I had to wonder in moments like these what I would do without their attempts to make me feel better. They constantly made dumb jokes and possibly offensive comments but were always there for me in all my awkward glory. As if reminding me that I could never be alone to sulk in my own self-loathing, Jayvon swung an arm over my shoulder. Once again, he read my mind. 

“It’s not right for you to sit around with a girl who isn’t putting the same effort in your relationship as you are. No matter how much  _ history  _ there is. And don’t deny that’s what you're sulking about because we all know that’s a lie.” 

If only it was just _ history _ . But Zia and I weren't just history, and she wasn’t just  _ any  _ girl. I loved her. Loved her amber eyes and unbelievably bright smile and the way she ate her noodles in fascination every time we went to the mall. I loved her slim figure pressed against mine and the way she could walk into lava, (yes, I have a weird  _ thing  _ for that). I loved how quick on her feet she was and the kind way she treated those around her.

And maybe it was stupid, (because she was most definitely avoiding me) but I wanted to prove that I was worth it.  _ I can’t believe I’m having a therapy session in the flipping library. _

“She’s not worth it if you constantly have to prove yourself to her. Because then she just wants a pet and not a man.” 

“I don’t know about that,” Chris said and I cocked an eyebrow. “You're walking around like a kicked puppy and not approaching her. Plus, as I’ve said, sulking is not attractive. Maybe your girl needs space and you’re just looking too deep into this.” 

I most definitely was not looking too deep into this. Something was definitely driving a huge knife through my relationship. Chris’ blunt words didn’t help me. 

“Point is,” Jayvon said, glaring at Chris, “That you shouldn’t evaluate your self-worth just because your relationship is having trouble.”

Two things happened after Jayvon uttered that sentence. 

  1. My phone buzzed in my pocket.
  2. A girl burst into the room and barreled into me like she was running from Set himself. 



_ Horus’s balls, that hurt!  _ I thought dazedly. It took me a few seconds to realize that a person was laying on top of me. By the time I got my bearings together, she had detached herself from me, looking thoroughly ruffled. I took a quick look at the girl and realized that she was quite attractive.

She was pretty short, her head stopping under my chin. She looked like a blob of fabric, with her body shape hidden under overly-big clothes. Her hair was in two afro puffs that looked big on her head. She wore big hoop earrings and an apologetic look on her face. Her skin was a  _ rich _ , deep, dark brown. 

Her lips were thick, full and covered in shiny lip gloss. She had the cutest nose, wide and perfect. I was stunned, so stunned that when she held her hand out for me to shake I just looked stupidly.

“My name’s, Nile Rivers,” she said, and I swore I choked on air when she smiled. “Sorry for bumping into you. I was in a rush.”

“Carter,” I croaked. Chris and Jayvon snickered. I was still on the floor. 

"Well gotta bounce! See you around, Carter."

She left in a hurry, leaving her conditioner wavering in the air and me staring dumbly as if I’d just seen an angel. Late that night, after Zia had rolled out my bed in her flannel pajamas deciding our cuddling session was over, I thought about how ironic Nile’s name was. 

“Nile Rivers,” I whispered to myself before going to sleep.  _ What a strange name.  _


End file.
